Polishing apparatus for flat and bent vehicle panes

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a polishing apparatus ( 1 ), which has a very short handy and comfortable to handle construction with a very short length L. In order to reduce energy loss a direct vertical shaft ( 3 ) is used, which shaft ( 3 ) eccentrically drives the rotational head part ( 9 ). The special three legged support of the polishing apparatus ( 1 ) consists of the sanding or polishing disc ( 10 ) and two separately placed from each other adjustable support legs ( 11, 12 ). In this way flat and bent surfaces, such as vehicle panes, can be polished accurately and efficiently.

The invention concerns a polishing apparatus for flat and bent surfaces of massive and laminated glass, especially flat and bent laminated vehicle or car panes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A similar apparatus (in state of the art) is known form the European Patent EP 1 293 296 A2, filed Jan. 3, 2002, titled: “Portable Grinding or Polishing to Apparatus for removing Scratches on Different Types of Surfaces, as Glass, Stone, Plastic etc.”. It concerns especially a fine sanding machine for removal of mainly scratches in panes of glass and other materials. Mentioned apparatus or machine is primarily meant for heavy grinding or sanding activities and secondary for less accurate polishing of repaired impacts, filled with plastics or synthetics and scratches in vehicle panes. The cured repair plastic and scratches have to be finely polished on the flat or bent pane surfaces. The apparatus of the state of the art polishing or sanding machine has several drawbacks for practical accurate use of polishing. The reproduced embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has a large horizontal length, in which the hand pressure of the user or skilled person is divided over a couple of widely spread supporting points 4 and 6. Therefore the user has to put more force on the sanding or polishing machine, which causes too much strain on the user or skilled craftsman. Within a short period of time the user can develop various complaints in the hands, arms and shoulders. Furthermore there is a drawback because the panes are set more vertical or slanted, and for the user this heavier applied force causes more strain in the arm and shoulder. Because of the elongated structure the accurate positioning of the sanding or polishing machine is furthermore obstructed and that is the reason why the polishing or sanding results deteriorate. Furthermore the elongated structure has the disadvantage of his weight at present and a hooked converting of the motor or engine torque to a vertical axle on the pane of the sanding or polishing disc, which causes a loss of energy.

In view of the preceding remarks, there are a number of disadvantages regarding the known sanding or polishing machine in order to execute an accurate polishing procedure in an accurate and less strenuous way.

The aim of this invention is to overcome mentioned drawbacks and to provide a modified and improved polishing apparatus and which polishing apparatus can put onto the market in an economical way.

For this reason the polishing apparatus or machine is constructed in such a way, wherein the handgrip for manual operation of the polishing apparatus, the driving shaft with the electric motor and the rotation head part with a polishing of sanding disc provided at the bottom are situated in a vertical axle, being the driving shaft wherein the housing of the polishing apparatus is provided with a three legged support.

The advantage is a polishing apparatus, which is very convenient and much lighter to operate and which gives an excellent result or effect on flat and bent surfaces of vehicle panes.

Furthermore the polishing apparatus of our invention is further developed in such a way wherein said three legged support consists of a pair at a distance to each other applied separate adjustable support legs and as a third support the rotation head part with a mounted polishing or sanding disc for example.

The advantage is that the individual adjustable support legs simplify the polishing of bent surfaces and thus reducing the strenuous labour of polishing significantly.

Than the polishing apparatus of our invention has developed further in such a way, wherein mentioned rotation head part with the electric motor or battery motor is driven by way of the indicated vertical driving shaft.

The advantage is less loss of energy which is caused by transmitting the engine power to the driving shafts.

Furthermore the polishing apparatus of our invention is developed further in such a way, wherein mentioned electro motor or battery motor is applied to an electronic speed regulator in order to obtain a constant rotational speed of the polishing disc.

The advantage is that the surfaces are always polished at the same or constant rotational speed. This can be used at more flat or bent surfaces made from different materials such as glass, plastic, stone and such.

The invention is further described by taking a preferred embodiment, indicated in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the polishing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the polishing apparatus over the line II-II in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the polishing apparatus over the line III-III in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1 a side view of the polishing apparatus is indicated according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The polishing apparatus has a very handy and practical short construction length L, which together with the structure or form of the polishing apparatus 1 provides a perfect fit in the hands 2 of the user and is relatively low in weight. The polishing apparatus 1 has an electrically driven shaft 3 with rotor 4 of the electric motor or engine 5. The electric motor 5 can be driven by means of a commonly used cable 5 or a battery, not indicated. Further a rotational regulator 7 can be provided in order to guarantee a constant and high-quality polishing job. To put the apparatus into motion a switch 8 can be used. Said shaft drives eccentrically the rotation head part 9. The eccentric head part 9 at the bottom is provided with a polishing or sanding disc 10. Furthermore another pair of separately adjustable support legs 11 and 12 are provided, so the polishing apparatus 1 has a three legged support 10, 11, 12 placed e.g. on the laminated vehicle pane 13 which is to be polished. Furthermore the polishing apparatus in order to protect the fingers of the hand 2 is provided with a snap on conically tapered skirt part 14. Than the separately adjustable support legs 11 and 12 are provided with a rubber support foot 15 and 16.

In FIG. 2 a side view of the polishing apparatus 1 is shown over the line 11-II.

In FIG. 3 a bottom view of the polishing apparatus 1 is shown over the line III-III. Similar parts are indicated with the same position numbers.

Finally, it has to be emphasized that above a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and that further modifications and such are possible without leaving the scope of this patent specification. 

1. Polishing apparatus for flat and bent surfaces of massive and laminated glass, specific flat and bent massive and laminated vehicle panes, wherein said polishing apparatus has a short horizontal construction length because of a vertical structure of the polishing apparatus, wherein the polishing apparatus includes a housing a handgrip for manual operation, an electric motor having a driving shaft and a rotation head part, the handgrip for manual operation of the polishing apparatus, the driving shaft with the electric motor and the rotation head part provided with a polishing or sanding disc at the bottom being situated in a vertical axle, being the driving shaft, wherein the housing of the polishing apparatus is provided with a three legged support.
 2. Polishing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said threelegged support consists of a pair of support legs disposed at a distance with resect to each other and separately adjustable and as a third support the rotation head part with a polishing or sanding disc mounted thereon.
 3. Polishing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said rotation head part with electric motor or battery motor is driven said driving shaft, which is vertically oriented.
 4. Polishing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said rotation head part is driven pneumatically by said driving shaft.
 5. Polishing apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said electric motor or battery motor is applied to an electronic speed regulator in order to obtain a constant rotational speed of the polishing disc.
 6. Polishing apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said rotation head part is surrounded by a snap on conical tapered skirt part made of plastic in order to protect the fingers on the hand of the person using the polishing apparatus.
 7. Polishing apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said plastic consists of a carbon fiber-reinforced nylon. 